Of all the new comics companies that launched during the speculator boom of the 1990s, Valiant has had one of the most tumultuous rides. After Jim Shooter was ousted as Editor-in-Chief at Marvel in 1987 after attempting a hostile buyout of the company, he teamed with lawyer Steven J. Massarsky to launch something new instead. That would turn out to be Valiant. Valiant would go on to be bought by video game publisher Acclaim, fold when they went bankrupt, rise again under new ownership, and get bought out again. On the way, they released a bunch of books, and one – finally – is being turned into a movie with Vin Diesel’s new flick Bloodshot. Take a trip through the shelves to learn about Valiant from the toy perspective.
Bloodshot Resin Statue
Bloodshot is probably the Valiant Universe’s most recognizable character right now, what with the movie coming out, so we decided to open up with him. Originally debuting in 1992, Bloodshot is a former soldier with over a billion self-repairing nanomachines injected into his bloodstream, giving him the ability to rapidly recover from injury. He’s been through numerous incarnations, but this 1:6 resin statue from Quarantine Studios depicts him in his classic appearance, ready to hunt down the mysterious forces that turned him into an immortal killing machine. He stands over a foot tall and is full of cool details.
Get it ($400) at Amazon.com
Faith Plush
First appearing in the pages of Harbinger in 1992, Faith Herbert – who typically superheroes under the name “Zephyr” – is a rare thing in the world of mainstream comics – a woman with a body type that couldn’t double as a traced Sports Illustrated swimsuit model. After having her latent superhuman abilities, she gained the power of flight and limited force field projection, usually used to shield herself and anything she’s carrying. Her 2016 solo book was a lot of fun and brought her a new fanbase, and if you’re one of them why not take home a wee plush Faith for your snuggle shelf.
Get it ($8) at Amazon.com
Rai Statue
The first original character created for the Valiant universe – the initial wave of comics were all Western / Gold Key reboots – Rai was 90s to the bone. A “spiritual guardian” tasked with protecting Japan, the Rai we initially meet lives in the year 4001, when the island nation has detached from Earth entirely. The character was rebooted with the company’s 2000s reboot, making Rai the “living immune system” of the massive, cybernetic nation. Either way, he’s a super buff dude with a Japanese imperial flag tattoo and a bunch of swords. What could be cooler than that? High-quality polyresin statue stands a foot and a half tall.
Get it ($500) at Amazon.com
Valiant Universe Deck-Building Game
Because Valiant was owned by Acclaim for a bunch of its history, the company got an outsized number of video games made based on its characters. Most notable were the classic Turok titles on the Nintendo 64, but we also saw a couple Shadow Man games, Armorines and an odd Iron Man / X-O Manowar crossover. That era may have passed, but if you want to get interactive with the Valiant universe the surprisingly solid deck building game from Catalyst is a lot of fun. Each player controls a shadowy organization from the comics, spending resources to assemble a team to raid a secret base on Alcatraz. It’s mechanically rich, with lots of cool options centered around board manipulation.
Get it ($25) at Amazon.com
McFarlane Toys Bloodshot Figure
Based on the movie representation, this detailed, poseable figure comes with all of the swag you’ve come to expect from McFarlane. 22 points of articulation let you twist the unstoppable soldier with the nanite blood into a variety of action poses, with a stand included to provide extra stability. Bloodshot also comes strapped with multiple weapons, including a pair of handguns that fit into his hip holsters, a wicked knife and a machine gun. Cast at 1/12 scale, he stands seven inches tall and is ready for action.
Get it ($20) at Amazon.com
X-O Manowar Plush
One of the interesting things about the Valiant universe originally was that it made no attempt to have all of its characters exist in the same time period. The Gold Key books it drew inspiration from included cavemen, superheroes, and futuristic sci-fi, so it was only natural that they’d grow from those points. X-O Manowar, introduced in 1992, was a great example. Protagonist Aric of Dacia was a Visigoth warlord in the fifth century who was abducted by aliens, made his escape, and returned to Earth in the present day armed with a powerful cybernetic suit. This plush version might not be as threatening, but it sure is snuggly.
Get it ($11) at Amazon.com
Ninjak Mug
Valiant was the company that gave a young Joe Quesada his first big break, and one of the books he worked on in the 1990s was Ninjak. Obviously ninjas were big business during the decade, and the first issue of Ninjak in 1994 sold over a million copies. A master of nearly every Earthly weapon, he is a scion of privilege who used his enormous wealth to turn himself into a whisper-silent killing machine. Drinking your morning coffee out of his head won’t give you access to his deadly skills, but it sure can’t hurt.
Get it ($13) at Amazon.com
Goat Inaction Figure
Quantum & Woody is one of Valiant’s goofiest properties, the story of two mismatched superheroes – a pair of adoptive brothers, one black and one white, with vastly different approaches to the job. Quantum is masked, serious and disciplined, while Woody is a total slacker oaf. It’s a fun concept that was once slated to have a TV series helmed by the Russo brothers. One of the book’s supporting characters is a genetically modified goat with the memories of their father, unable to communicate his true nature to the boys. This oddball figure lets you have your own caprine companion.
Get it ($8) at Amazon.com
Faith Funko Pop
The very first Valiant universe Funko Pop was released as a convention exclusive in 2016 for NYCC, and it can be a pretty tough one to track down. Faith remains the most iconic female character in the company’s universe, and if Bloodshot turns out to be the sleeper success that we think it will, the Sony-produced flick with writer Maria Melnick (who previously worked on American Gods and wrote Escape Room) becomes much more likely. Fingers crossed, but if you act fast you can add this one to your burgeoning Pop collection.
Get it ($37) at Amazon.com
Valiant Logo Night Light
Yes, you could install this high-end lamp from InLightz in your bedroom to chase away whatever creepy crawlies menace you while you sleep, but a better use for this stylish battery-operated LED piece would be to illuminate the Valiant toy shelf that you’ve assembled while reading this article. The iconic sharp V logo stands out against a brushed ABS plastic background, with the blue backlighting casting a dramatic glow on the surroundings. You can set it to manual operation or engage a four-hour shutoff timer for extra convenience.
Get it ($30) at Amazon.com
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